The pipe cable ring clamb and the series of pipe cable ring clamp installation apparatuses

ABSTRACT

The pipe cable ring clamp (1) comprising a coiled flat clip band (11) provided with transverse slots (111) on which at least one cable holder (4) is attached and comprising the outer coil (112) and the inner coil (113), and a strap lock (12) in which the clip band (11) is fastened, wherein the inner coil (113) of the clip band (11) is slidably mounted in the strap lock (12) and the strap lock (12) includes lock springs (139) coupled to the inner coil (113) of the clip band (11). The lock springs (139) are received in the strap lock (12) along the edges of the clip band (11) outside the contour of its perpendicular projection into the cylindrical surface of the pipe (5), the lock springs (139) are via the inner coil (113) of the clip band (11) coupled by the movable member (127) slidably mounted in the strap lock (12), wherein the movable member (127), on its end opposite to the rear wall (125) of the strap lock (12) is provided with spring stops (129) on which the lock springs (139) rest with one end thereof, while the other ends rest on the rear wall (125) of the strap lock (12) and wherein the movable member (127) is coupled to the inner coil (113) of the clip band (11) by a pusher tongue (133) in the pivotally mounted movable member (127), wherein the movable member (127) is adapted both to fix it in the rear position while compressing the lock springs (139) and to release it using the latch (135) slidably mounted in a vertical direction in the body of the movable member (127). It is also the basis of the series of pipe cable ring clamp installation apparatus invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention falls within the field of cable and conduitinstallation and relates to the design of the cable clamp and the seriesof apparatuses for its installation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A number of solutions are known for the installation of fiber opticcables in a sewer network, for example, the JPH05272664 file describesthe embodiment of cable fixation in pipes by means of pre-lockedhorseshoe-shaped holders made of flat material and fixed along the pipewalls with the open portion facing down. These holders are held againstthe wall of the pipe only by the force of their pre-tensioning and areset into the pipe by inverted T-shaped segments detachably secured bymeans of locks to the holders on the ends of their arms, which pull thehorseshoe shape to a diameter smaller than the diameter of the pipe andwhich are connected with a pull cord. Upon delivery of the holders tothe designated location in the pipe, the T-segments are disconnectedfrom the holders by pulling them out in one direction using the pullcord. The mounting method of the brackets is very complex and thereliability of their attachment to a particular location is veryproblematic, among other things due to the apparently weak expansionforce of the brackets given only by the pre-tension of the materialused. Another embodiment of a fastener, by means of which the opticalcables can be held in the waste pipe, is known, for example, from theEP953162 file. This fastening element consists of a pre-tensionedstainless steel ring which presses against the inner wall of the wastepipe and which is transported and fixed to the designated location by aremote-controlled robot. However, this solution cannot be used for pipessmaller than 200 mm in diameter. The EP1271728 file describes a similarfastener but made of elastically expandable thermoplastic material whichis stretched using hot water or steam. The amount of the pressing forceholding the fastener in the appropriate place is questionable, further,this design considerably reduces the inner diameter of the pipe, and thedismantling thereof, or re-installation of the cables is virtuallyimpossible. A similar embodiment of cable attachment system is describedin the JP2002250849, JPH06339216 and GB2345388 files, where cableattachment is performed by special foam either at the top or bottom ofthe pipe. These solutions are unsuitable for small pipe diameters,because they greatly reduce its usable diameter, and in these cases, theaddition of another cable or its uninstallation or reinstallation isvery problematic, since the foam coating must first be removed and onlythen can these operations be performed, which basically means acompletely new installation. Another possible solution described in theJPH10110464 document is the use of a special pipe with a built-inintegrated bracket created at the production stage. However, such asolution is usable and feasible only when setting up new buildings witha newly laid pipeline network and is therefore unusable for existingconventional pipelines installed previously. Cable laying solutions arealso known to be performed by attaching special fasteners to the innerwall of the pipe by drilling, which can result in disrupting theintegrity of pipe material and risk of pipe damage or rupture. TheDE19825325 file introduces a solution for laying optical cables by meansof a longitudinally folded hose made of fabric or gel material, withoptical cables attached to its outer surface. The hose material isimpregnated with a thermosetting or UV curing resin. After insertioninto the pipe, the hose is stretched and pressed against the innersurface of the pipe by compressed air and subsequently cured by heat orUV radiation. Any revision of the placement of the fiber optic cables,their exchange or addition of another cable is impossible. Theresistance of the material of the inserted hose against mechanical orchemical influences given by the internal environment of the waste pipeis also questionable. The EP0936479 document describes a clamp, whichhas a clamping fixture based on a flat coiled clip band with transverseslots, which is anchored in a clamp at one end, then encircles the innersurface of the pipe and the other end is again inserted into the clampwith a clamping closure furnished with a releasable latching element.The clamping closure is equipped with spring acting through itsmechanism on the clamping band expansively, whereby the clamp is affixedaround the inner wall of the pipe. However, this solution is intendedfor pipes with a diameter of 200 mm and larger, also with respect to thedimensions of the clamping closure, which considerably reduces the pipediameter, this is also due to the positioning of the springs above theclamping band and, furthermore, due to the installation conceptdescribed in EP0978743, feasible only in straight sections of backboneroutes of waste pipeline systems. Further examples of robots forinstalling fiber optic cable fasteners in waste pipes are described, forexample, in the JP2000350322 and JP2002095120 documents. A commonfeature of these solutions is that they can only be used in the mainline of waste pipes with pipe diameter ranging from 200 to 800 mm,which, in bends and in straight sections, have inspection shafts builtat regular intervals. The installation of the fastening elements iscarried out by placing the service car over the shaft, the operatordescending and inserting the installation robot it into the pipe; therobot then transporting clamps or other fasteners to the installationsite, however only in straight sections of the pipeline. Due to highconstruction demands on robots used for installations of cablefasteners, there is currently no known way to facilitate optical cableinstallations in the end branches of waste pipelines, where the terminalhouse connections have the diameter of 150 mm and the bends have 90°angles. The robots usually weight over 100 kg with overall length of1500 mm, therefore inserting the robot into working position entailsinserting the individual parts of the robot into the pipe and thereassembling them into one unit. This process places high demands on boththe time and the skills of technicians.

The goal of the presented invention is to introduce a pipe cable ringclamp and a series of pipe cable ring clamp installation apparatuses forinstalling optical cable to terminal sewer connections of less than 200mm in diameter with 90° bend angles, even in places that are notaccessible by sewer shafts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved by an invention, which is a pipe cable ring clampcomprising of a coiled flat clip band provided with transverse slots onwhich at least one cable holder is affixed and which consists of anouter coil, an inner coil, and a band lock in which the clip band isfastened, where the inner coil of the clip band is slidably mounted inthe band lock body and the band lock contains compression springscoupled with the inner coil of the clip band. The essence of theinvention is that the springs are mounted in a band lock along the edgesof the clip band outside the contour of its perpendicular projectioninto the cylindrical surface of the conduit, while the push springs arecoupled to the inner coil of the clip band by a movable member installedin the band lock, where the movable member, at the end opposite to therear wall of the band lock, is equipped with spring stops, which supportthe springs one end, while the other end is supported by the rear wallof the band lock and where the travel member is coupled to the innercoil of the clip band by means of a pusher tongue mounted in a rockingmanner in the movable member; the movable member is adapted to fixate itin the rear position when the springs are compressed and to release itby a latch slidably mounted in the vertical direction in the body of themovable member.

In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the band lock has avertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pipe in theshape of an annular segment, wherein the band lock is provided with aninternal cavity in which the movable member is slidably mounted.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the pivotally mounted pusher tongue inthe movable member is, at its end facing towards the end of the travelmember, provided with spring stops with an upwardly directed barbengaged in one of the transverse slots of the clip band; while thepusher tongue is being pushed upward by the pre-tensioned pusher elementmounted in the movable member.

In a further preferred embodiment, the latch is mounted vertically in anopen-bottom latch cavity formed in the movable member, wherein a latchspring mounted in the latch cavity also abuts the upper latch surface,wherein a through latch hole is formed in the bottom of the internalcavity, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of therespective latch portion with which they are compatible.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a series ofapparatuses for installing a pipe cable ring clamp which is adapted tomove through a pipe comprising a support body and an expander mechanismwith a clamp gear, in which individual devices can be coupled to eachother in any number of units where the support body of each device isprovided with a clamp bed for receiving the clamp lock of the pipe cablering clamp, wherein the clamp lock is secured on the clamp bed by beingclamped between the jaws of the jaw mechanism, where the shape anddimensions of the clamping seat are corresponding to the shapes anddimensions of the clamp lock, and where the launching drive forinstalling the pipe cable ring clamp in the conduit is mounted under theclamp bed, and a through launch hole with dimensions and positioncorresponding to the shape and position of the movable member latch isformed in the clamp bed surface of movable member of the pipe cable ringclamp band lock, and the launching drive is provided with a launchingpin whose dimensions and location correspond to the dimensions andposition of the launching hole, the device being provided with anextending strut mechanism with at least one extending strut.

It is furthermore advantageous if the jaw mechanism of the device isformed by two opposing jaws mounted counter-slidably in an axis parallelto the longitudinal axis of the device, where the jaws abut the frontand rear edges of the clamp seat bed, exceeding the upper edge thereof,and are coupled with the jaw drive mounted in the supporting body of theapparatus.

In a further preferred embodiment, the supporting body is provided withan undercarriage with which it is coupled to provide movement of thedevice through the pipe, and which is provided with main movement wheelsmounted on wheel shafts of drive motors, which are mounted independentlyslidably in vertical direction relative to the supporting body; whiletheir vertical movement is controlled by lifting motors.

The present invention achieves a new and higher effectivity in that thepipe cable ring clamp does not overly reduce the lightness of the pipeand is thus also usable in pipes of smaller diameters, is reliable andsimple to manufacture and therefore inexpensive due to the small numberof components. The installation apparatus is light and easy to operateand is relatively easy to manufacture to custom fit a pipe, even ofsmall diameters, in which it can move easily even in turns and bends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an overall left rear upper axonometric view of the pipe cablering clamp mounted on the installation apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a pipe with the installed pipe cablering clamp with an optical cable holder attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is an overall front bottom perspective view of the pipe cablering clamp itself with an optical cable holder attached thereto;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the center of the pipe cable ringclamp lock via a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axisof the installation apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an overall axonometric top view of the pipe cable ring clamplock;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a mobile robot assembly with linksformed by the pipe cable ring clamp installation apparatuses with pipecable ring clamps loaded thereon;

FIG. 7 is a separate front left view of the apparatus supporting body,

FIG. 8 is a separate right front view of the apparatus supporting body,

FIG. 9 is a separate right rear view of the apparatus supporting body,

FIG. 10 is a separate lower right rear view of the apparatus supportingbody,

FIG. 11 is a top front left view of the apparatus supporting body withthe jaw mechanism detail and the strut mechanism;

FIG. 12 is an exploded right rear view of the pipe cable ring clampinstallation apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a schematic front view of a pipe with the apparatus carryingthe pipe cable ring clamp with the extending struts retracted;

FIG. 14 is a schematic rear view of a pipe with the apparatus carryingthe pipe cable ring clamp, with the extending struts extended, the bandlock pressed against the pipe wall, and the clip band in a contractedposition.

The drawings illustrating the present invention and the followingexamples of a particular embodiment do not in any way limit the scope ofprotection defined in the definition, but merely illustrate theinvention.

EXAMPLES OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The pipe cable ring clamp 1 as pictured in FIG. 1 is attached to theapparatus 2 for its installation. In the basic embodiment shown in FIGS.2 and 3, the pipe cable ring clamp 1 is formed by a coiled clip band 11and a strap lock 12, in the body of which the clip band 11 is fixed bythe end of its outer coil 112, the inner coil 113 of the clip band 11 isslidably mounted in the strap lock 12 body. The clip band 11 is providedwith regular transverse slots 111 in regular intervals. Thecross-section of the strap lock 12 is a vertical plane perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the apparatus 2, in the form of an annularsegment, where the radius of its outer curvature corresponds to theinner radius of the pipe 5 in which the pipe cable ring clamp 1 is to beinstalled. The strap lock 12 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is formed by thelock body 121 provided with the inner cavity 122 which is open towardsthe lock face 123 over its entire cross-section and is closed by therear lock wall 125 from the lock rear 124, through which a strap slot126 is formed, connecting the inner cavity 122 with the outside. Thewidth of the strap slot 126 corresponds to the width of the clip band11, the inner coil of which is extended through the strap slot 126. Inthe inner cavity 122, is slidably mounted the movable member 127 whichis provided with spring grooves 128 on both its longitudinal edges,these are terminated by spring stops 129 towards the locking face 123.The movable member 127 is provided with a strap recess 130 along theentire length of its upper surface, wherein the inner coil 113 of theclip band 11 which with its upper surface abuts the upper wall of theinner cavity 122. In the strap recess 130 area, in the movable member127, there is the top-open tongue cavity 131, which is connected to thebottom-open anchoring cavity 132 by the tongue passage 1312 formed inits inclined rear cavity wall 1311. In the tongue cavity 131 there is apusher tongue 133 with the longitudinal cross-section of the invertedreclining letter L, whose longer, toward the lock face 123 orientedforward arm 1331 is terminated with an upward pointed prong 1332 and theshorter downwardly directed anchoring arm 1333 is after passing throughthe tongue passage 1312 seated in the anchoring cavity 132, whereby thepusher tongue 133 is pivotally mounted in the tongue passage 1312. Thepre-tensioned pusher element 134, which is located at the bottom of thetongue cavity 131, abuts the forward arm 1331 from below. The movablemember 127 is further provided with a bottom-open latch cavity 137,wherein the latch 135 with the cross-section of a wide letter T isslidably mounted in a vertical direction, to the upper surface thereofthe latch spring 136 is also adjacent, supported from the other side bythe top end of the latch cavity 137. In the center of the bottom of theinner cavity 122, an open guiding groove 1221 is formed longitudinallyto the lock face 123, the width of which corresponds to the width of thelatch 135 foot, the depth of the guiding groove 1221 is less than theheight of the latch 135 foot. The guide groove 1221 at the end thereofis opposed to the lock face 123 is terminated by the latch foot hole1222 formed in the bottom of the inner cavity 122, wherein thedimensions of the latch hole 1222 correspond to the dimensions of thelatch 135 foot with which they are compatible. Along with the movablemember 127, in their spring grooves 128, in the inner cavity 122, locksprings 139 are seated and supported at one end by the spring stops 129and the other end by the rear wall 125 of the strap lock 12. A flatstrap channel 140 is formed above the inner cavity 122 in the lock body121 open towards the lock rear 124 and closed in the opposite directionin which the outer coil 112 of the clip band 11 is anchored. On theouter coil 112 of the clip band 11, a cable holder 4 is fastened in thearea behind the lock rear 124, and the inner coil 113 is seated freelyslidably in the cable holder 4.

The clip band 11 of the pipe cable ring clamp 1 is in the initial statecoiled and tightly adjacent the surface of the apparatus 2. The movablemember 127 is pushed into its rear position when the lock springs 139are compressed and the latch 135 foot is pressed by the latch spring 136into the latch hole 1222, whereby the movable member 127 is fixed in therear position. The prong 1332 of the pusher tongue 133 is therebyengaged by means of the pusher element 134 in one of the transverseslots 111 of the inner coil 113 of the clip band 11, and due to theshape of the prong 1332 and the pivotal mounting of the pusher tongue133, it is possible to move the inner coil 113 of the clip band 11 outof the inner cavity 122 towards the lock face 123. When the latch 135 ispushed out of the latch hole 1222 from the outside of the lock body 121into the latch cavity 137, the movable member 127 is released and pushedby the lock springs 139 through the inner cavity 122 toward the lockface 123. By means of the movable member 127, in whose the tongue cavity131 mounted pusher tongue 133 is engaged by its prong 1332 in thetransverse slot 111, the inner coil 133 of the clip band 11 is thencarried outwardly from the inner cavity 122 towards the lock face 123,thereby expanding the clip band 11 which increases the diameter of itscurvature and is thus pressed against the inner diameter of the pipe 5.

The apparatus 2 for the installation of a pipe cable ring clamp 1 in apipe 5 is a part of the mobile robot 3, which include any number ofunits formed by the pipe cable ring clamp 1 installation apparatus 2,wherein one pipe cable ring clamp 1 is mounted on each unit of themobile robot 3. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the mobilerobot 3 is composed of at least two coupled units formed by a pipe cablering clamp 1 installation apparatus 2, the individual units of themobile robot 3 being coupled via an articulated joint 31. The apparatus2 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 13 comprises a supporting body 21, which inits lower part is supported by an undercarriage 22 with the mainmovement wheels 2201 and with an extending strut mechanism 23 withextending struts 2301. In its upper part, the supporting body 21 isprovided with a jaw mechanism 24 and the expanding mechanism 25 on itsleft side when viewed from the rear. The supporting body 21 depicted inFIGS. 7 to 10 includes a box-shaped central housing 211, which abut thehorizontal longitudinally oriented central tubes 212 located in thelongitudinal center axis of the mobile robot 3. The central tubes 212are terminated by the connecting parts 2121 which are part of thearticulated joint 31 and are designed as shaft parts of Cardan joint.The central tubes 212 are open towards the connecting parts 2121 and areprovided with longitudinal tube slots 2122 on both sides. In itsupper-end portion, the supporting body 21 is closed by a clamp bed 213,with the surface thereof shaped as a rectangular sector of a cylindershell, whose curve is oriented transversely to the direction of thetraveling robot 3. The launching chamber 214 is formed between the clampbed 213 and the central housing 211, at the rear view in the right halfof the supporting body 21, open with its entire internal cross-sectionin right lateral direction. The launching aperture 2141 is directed fromthe launching chamber 214 upward into the surface of the clamp bed 213.In the left half of the supporting body 21, the jaw chamber 215 with theinner jaw cavity 2151 is positioned beneath the clamp bed 213 and has astanding cuboid shape, whose rear is open through its entire internalcross-sectional area. In the jaw front wall 2152 of the jaw chamber 215,a circular jaw opening 2153 is formed with a circular segment shapecut-out added at the bottom. In the left side wall of the jaw chamber215 there is a through round cut-out 2154 of the shape of a standinglong rectangle. A cylindrical shaft sleeve 216 is positioned parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the supporting body 21 below the clamp bed 213in the space between the jaw chamber 215 and the launching chamber 214.Lower jaw sleeves 217 are formed in the supporting body 21, in bothdirections above the central tubes 212, and are designed as horizontallyoriented hollow cylinders with one base adjacent to the central housing211 and which are open through their entire inner cross-section in theirdirections away from the central housing 211. At least two pairs ofcylindrical upper jaw sleeves 218 are formed in axes parallel to theaxes of the lower jaw sleeves 217 in the same direction as the clamp bed213, and are completely analogous to the lower jaw sleeves 217. Thesupporting body 21 is provided, in its lower portion below the twocentral tubes 212, with two horizontal rectangular transversely orientedsupport platforms 219 which abut against the front and rear verticalwalls of the central housing 211, the footprint of which they exceed.Vertically down extending guide rods 220 of circular cross-section arefixed in each corner of the support platforms 219, with theirlongitudinal axes are parallel to each other. On each support platform219, a geared guide 221 provided with teeth along the entire length ofits two sides adjacent to the guide rods 220, is fixed in the samedirection as the guide rods 220 directed and aligned parallel to theirlongitudinal axes. The two support platforms 219 are provided with twovertical strut apertures 222, each located between the guide rod 220 andthe geared guide 221. The supporting body 21 is provided on its leftside, viewed from the rear, with a lower clamp casing 223 and an upperclamp casing 224 in the shape of stacked cuboids with a commonlongitudinal vertical axis lying in the same plane as the vertical axisof the central housing 211, where the two axes form an angle in therange of 10° to 30°; the plane of the two axes being simultaneouslyperpendicular to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the supporting body21. The lower clamp casing 223 is located in the central portionthereof, between the support platforms 219 which are adjacent theretofrom the front and the rear. The unlabeled inner cavities of the lowerclamp casing 223 and the upper clamp casing 224 are interconnected bythe piston opening 2231. Rectangular cut-outs are formed in all fourside-walls of the upper clamp casing 224 from their upper edges with acut-out made towards the center of the supporting body 21 with its sizeand location corresponding to the round cutout 2154 and thereby forminga common through hole. A cuboid-shaped motor housing 225 abuts againstthe rear wall of the upper clamp casing 224 and partially also the lowerclamp casing 223, in its upper part, wherein the motor cavity 2251 isopen from above and below. From the side of the upper clamp casing 224,the wall of the motor housing 225 is provided with a rectangular shaftslot 2252 extending from its upper edge, the dimensions and locationthereof corresponding to the cut-out provided in the side wall of theupper clamp casing 224 adjacent to the motor housing 225, whereby theinner cavities thereof are linked. On each pair of guide rods 220mounted on the same support platform 219, a flat, movable in thevertical direction, strut housing 2302 is mounted, provided withvertically through housing cavity 2303, wherein the geared guide 221 isinserted. The two strut housings 2302 are connected to each other by thehousing bridge 2304. In the housing cavity 2303, two strut gears 2305are placed, freely rotating on a horizontal axis parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the supporting body 21, so that each of them abutsone side of the geared guide 221, the teeth thereof they engage. To thestrut gears 2305, from side opposite to the geared guide 221, abut thegeared strut posts 2306, which are inserted vertically in the housingcavity 2303 and which pass through strut apertures 222 above the struthousings 2302, and are connected at their lower ends by extending struts2301. The horizontal transverse dimension of the housing cavity 2303 isdetermined by the sum of the corresponding dimensions of the strut posts2306, the strut gears 2305 and the geared guides 221. A linear strutmotor 231 is mounted in the central housing 211 and is coupled by apiston (not shown) to the housing bridge 2304. The jaw mechanism 24 isformed by two opposing jaws 2401 adjacent to the front and rear edges ofthe clamp bed 213, the upper edge thereof they exceed and the whosecurvature their shape copies. The jaws 2401 are mounted by their jawpins 2402 slidably in opposition to one another in the horizontallongitudinal axis in the upper jaw sleeves 218 and in the lower jawsleeves 217. The jaw chamber 215 accommodates the jaw drive 2155 whichis coupled to the jaws 2401 via the shaft (not shown) mounted jaw pinion2405 and the jaw front threaded shaft 2404 and the rear threaded shaft2403. In the lower clamp casing 223 of the expanding mechanism 25 ismounted the lifting drive 2501, whose lifting piston 2502 passes throughthe piston opening 2231 into the inner cavity of the upper clamp casing224, where the gear seat 2503 is slidably in a vertical directionmounted and fixed to the lifting piston 2502. In the gear seat 2503, theclamp gear 2504 is seated freely on the axis parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the supporting body 21, the unlabeled teeth ofwhich correspond to the transverse slots 111 of the clip band 11. Theclamp gear 2504 is mounted on a support axis (not shown) of theexpansion drive 2505, which is freely, slidably in the verticaldirection, mounted in the motor housing 225. The launching drive 2142 ismounted in the launching chamber 214, which is provided with theextendable launching pin 2143 whose dimensions and location on thelaunching drive 2142 surface correspond to the dimensions and locationof the launching aperture 2141. The undercarriage 22 of the apparatus 2is formed by the main movement wheels 2201 seated on the wheel shafts2202 of the drive motors 2203 mounted in the wheel housings 2204, whichare horizontally slidably mounted in the lateral and lower directionopen undercarriage housings 2205 fixed to the unlabeled front verticalsurface of the strut housing 2302. The lifting motors 2206 are coupledto the tops of the undercarriage housings 2205, which are coupled to thewheel housings 2204 by means of pistons (not shown) extending in thevertical direction through the undercarriage piston aperture 2207 formedin the tops of the undercarriage housings 2205.

The mobile robot 3 moves on its main movement wheels 2201 through thepipe 5 and the pipe cable ring clamp 1 is supported by its strap lock 12on the clamp bed 213 of the apparatus 2 so that the position of thelatch hole 1222 corresponds to the position of the launching aperture2141, the strap lock 12 is on the clamp bed 213 clamped between jaws2401. At the point designated for attaching the pipe cable ring clamp 1,the mobile robot 3 stops, the apparatus 2 carrying the pipe cable ringclamp 1 by means of the strut motor 231 extends the extending struts2301, whereby the apparatus 2 is lifted until the strap lock 12 ispressed with its top surface against the inner surface of the pipe 5.Concurrently with the lifting drive 2501, the expansion drive 2505 isactivated, which by rotating the clamp gear 2504 pushes the inner coil113 of the clip band 11 in whose transverse slots 111 the teeth of theclamp gear 2504 are engaged, out of the inner cavity 122 towards thelock face 123, thereby increasing the diameter the clip band 11 untilentire outer circumference thereof is pressed to the inner surface ofthe pipe 5. Next, the launching drive 2142 with its firing pin 2143passing through the launching aperture 2141 pushes the latch 135 intothe inner cavity 122 of the strap lock 12, thereby fixing the pipe cablering clamp 1 in the pipe 5 and then actuating the jaw drive 2155 to movethe jaws 2401 away from the strap lock 12, thereby releasing it. Theapparatus 2 then retracts the extending struts 2301 and rests back onthe main movement wheels 2201 and the mobile robot 3 continues to movethrough the pipe 5.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Pipe cable ring clamp and the series of apparatus for its installationare useful in introducing data lines, especially high-speed fiber opticcables, into buildings and homes without the need for excavation usingexisting waste lines or other available pipelines.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 pipe cable ring clamp-   2 Apparatus-   11 clip band-   12 strap lock-   112 outer coil-   113 inner coil-   111 transverse slots-   121 lock body-   122 inner cavity-   123 lock face-   124 lock rear-   125 rear wall-   126 strap slot-   127 movable member-   128 spring grooves-   129 spring stops-   130 strap recess-   131 tongue cavity-   1312 tongue passage-   1311 rear cavity wall-   132 anchoring cavity-   133 pusher tongue-   1331 forward arm-   1332 prong-   1333 anchoring arm-   134 pusher element-   137 latch cavity-   135 latch-   136 latch spring-   1221 guiding groove-   1222 latch hole-   139 lock springs-   140 strap channel-   3 mobile robot-   31 articulated joint-   21 supporting body-   22 undercarriage-   2201 main movement wheels-   23 strut mechanism-   2301 extending struts-   24 jaw mechanism-   25 expanding mechanism-   211 central housing-   212 central tube-   2121 connecting parts-   2122 tube slots-   213 clamp bed-   214 launching chamber-   2141 launching aperture-   215 jaw chamber-   2151 jaw cavity-   2152 jaw front wall-   2153 jaw opening-   2154 round cutout-   216 shaft sleeve-   217 lower jaw sleeve-   218 upper jaw sleeve-   219 support platform-   220 guide rods-   221 geared guide-   222 strut aperture-   223 lower clamp casing-   224 upper clamp casing-   2231 piston opening-   225 motor housing-   2251 motor cavity-   2252 shaft slot-   2302 strut housing-   2303 housing cavity-   2304 housing bridge-   2305 strut gear-   2306 strut posts-   231 strut motor-   2401 jaws-   2402 jaw pins-   2155 jaw drive-   2405 jaw pinion-   2403 rear threaded shaft-   2404 jaw front threaded shaft-   2501 lifting drive-   2502 lifting piston-   2503 gear seat-   2504 clamp gear-   2505 expansion drive-   2142 launching drive-   2143 launching pin-   2202 wheel shafts-   2203 drive motor-   2204 wheel housings-   2205 undercarriage housings-   2206 lifting motors-   2207 undercarriage piston aperture-   4 cable holder-   5 pipe

1. The pipe cable ring clamp consisting of the coiled flat clip bandprovided with transverse slots on which at least one cable holder isattached, consisting of the outer coil and the inner coil, and a straplock wherein the clip band is fastened, and the inner coil of the clipband is slidably mounted in the strap lock and the strap lock consistingof lock springs coupled with the inner coil of the clip band,characterized in that the springs being mounted in the strap lock alongthe edges of the clip band outside the contour of its perpendicularprojection into the cylindrical surface of the pipe, the lock springsare coupled to the inner coil of the clip band by means of the movablemember mounted slidably in the strap lock, where the movable member isprovided with spring stops on the opposite rear wall of the strap lockby the spring stops wherein the springs rest with one end, while theother end is supported by the rear wall of the strap lock and whereinthe movable member is coupled to the inner coil of the clip band bymeans of the pusher tongue pivotally mounted in the movable member,wherein the movable member is adapted both to fix the inner coil in therear position when the springs are compressed, and to released it bymeans of the latch slidably mounted in the vertical direction in thebody of the movable member.
 2. Pipe cable ring clamp, according to claim1, characterized in that the cross-section through the center of thestrap lock by a vertical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe pipe is in the form of an annular segment, wherein the strap lock isprovided with an inner cavity, wherein the movable member is slidablymounted. 3 The pipe cable clamp, according to claim 1, characterized inthat the pusher tongue which is pivotally mounted in the movable memberis, at its end facing the end of the movable member provided by thespring stops, provided with the prong which is engaged in one of thetransverse slots of the clip band, wherein the pusher tongue is pushedupwardly by the pre-tensioned pusher element mounted in the movablemember.
 4. The pipe cable ring clamp, according to claim 1,characterized in that the latch is vertically slidably mounted in thebottom-open latch cavity formed in the movable member where the uppersurface of the latch abuts, in the latch cavity, also disposed latchspring wherein a through latch hole is formed in the bottom of the innercavity, the dimensions thereof correspond to the dimensions of therespective latch portion with which it is compatible.
 5. A series ofpipe cable ring clamp installation apparatuses, according to claim 1,which is adapted to move through the pipe and which includes asupporting body and the expanding mechanism with a clamp gear,characterized in that the individual apparatuses can be coupled togetherby articulated joints in any number of units, wherein the supportingbody of each apparatus is provided with a clamp bed for receiving thestrap lock of the pipe cable ring clamp, wherein the strap lock is fixedon the clamp bed by being gripped between the jaws of the jaw mechanism,wherein the shape and dimensions of the clamp bed correspond to theshapes and dimensions of the strap lock of the pipe cable ring clamp,and wherein the launching drive is mounted under the clamp bed forfastening the pipe cable ring clamp in the pipe, and in the clamp bed,the through launching aperture is formed with dimensions and positionthereof corresponding to the latch of the movable member of the straplock of the pipe cable ring clamp and the launching drive provided witha launching pin, the dimensions and positioning thereof correspond tothe dimensions and position of the launching aperture, the apparatusbeing provided with an extending strut mechanism with at least oneextending strut.
 6. The series of apparatuses according to claim 5,characterized in that the jaw mechanism is formed by two opposing jawsdisposed counter-slidably in an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof the apparatus, where the jaws about the front and a rear edge of theclamp bed, the upper edge of which they exceed, and are coupled to thejaw drive housed in the supporting body of the apparatus.
 7. The seriesof apparatuses according to claim 5, characterized in that thesupporting body is provided with the undercarriage coupled thereto andwhich is provided with the main movement wheels seated on the wheelshafts of the drive motors, which are disposed relative to thesupporting body independently of each other in the vertical direction,vertical movement thereof being controlled by the lifting motors.